1-2. The Lord told Joshua:Don't be afraid, and don't be discouraged by what happened at the town of Ai. Take the army and attack again. But first, make part of the army set up an ambush on the other side of the town. I will help you defeat the king of Ai and his army, and you will capture the town and the land around it. Destroy Ai and kill its king as you did at Jericho. But you may keep the livestock and everything else you want.
3-4. Joshua quickly got the army ready to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best soldiers and gave them these orders:Tonight, while it is dark, march to Ai and take up a position behind the town. Get as close to the town as you can without being seen, but be ready to attack.
5-6. The rest of the army will come with me and attack near the gate. When the people of Ai come out to fight, we'll run away and let them chase us. They will think we are running from them just like the first time. But when we've let them chase us far enough away,
7. you come out of hiding. The Lord our God will help you capture the town.
8. Then set it on fire, as the Lord has told us to do. Those are your orders,
9. now go!The thirty thousand soldiers went to a place on the west side of Ai, between Ai and Bethel, where they could hide and wait to attack.That night, Joshua stayed in camp with the rest of the army.
10. Early the next morning he got his troops ready to move out, and he and the other leaders of Israel led them to Ai.
11. They set up camp in full view of the town, across the valley to the north.
12. Joshua had already sent five thousand soldiers to the west side of the town to hide and wait to attack.